Anchovy Virgin

[GeeBeeEmm]

I just bought a jar of anchovies and am unsure of how to use them. I did see a recipe from Bittman about pasta with anchovies and arugula that I'd like to try.

Anyone have any other ideas? What's a good use for these little fishies?

[jbeaux]

When my husband and I were in Sicily this last time, we ordered a pizza from a local bar that was made with diced anchovies, capers, and green olives (with the requisite thin, charry crust, mozarella, parm, and tomato sauce). It was salty, but totally and completely delicious.

[katecm]

Soften some butter and mix in mashed anchovies, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Roll into a log and pop in the fridge for a while.

Cook your favorite steak. When you put it on your place, top with a slice of the anchovy butter. It's mind-bogglingly delicious.

[bivalvelovr]

So, I've mostly been a lurker on CH for a while now, and have really learned quite a lot and enjoyed it!!!! - so thanks all. I've recently been using anchovies more, and had done a search of CH for anchovy posts and came across this one. I just had a GREAT meal using some anchovy butter I made up earlier today after reading this post- a NY strip steak with some of this butter, along with some lightly steamed broccoli and asparagus topped with the butter - WOW what a treat. Highly recommended for those that haven't tried this yet!!!

Thanks katecm for the idea, and CH'ers in general for all the great knowledge and ideas!!!

[alex8alot]

pissaladiere, keep meaning to try this

[PumpkinHead]

Don't keep yourself waiting any longer. Pissaladiere is one of my favorite ways to use anchovies. So delicious.

[hungry_pangolin]

Anchovies, garlic, sage, red wine, chili flakes, all ground into a loose paste.... great marinade for pork tenderloin.

[mnosyne]

Anchovies ground into a paste with rosemary, salt, garlic and olive oil make a good marinade for leg of lamb. A recipe for this dish was published in Gourmet in the Easter issue of 2005. I think you can retrieve it from the Epicurious web site. The anchovies give a wonderfully rich taste and are not at all fishy.

[WildSwede]

There is a delicious Swedish dish called "Jannson's Frestelse" (Jannson's Delight). It is not for those who are on a diet, though!

Potatoes, peeled, sliced thinly (I use a food processor)
Onions, peeled, sliced thinly
Anchovies (one or two tins - we use the ones you can get at Ikea)
Whipping Cream and/or half & half
Freshly ground pepper

Oil/butter a baking dish. Pour a little of the cream/half & half in the bottom. Layer in order listed above. For the anchovies, I usually put my kitchen shears into the tin and chop them up a bit. The anchovies are the salt in this dish. I also use the anchovy juice.

Bake until potatoes are tender and the cream is all bubbly and browning on top (be sure to check the potatoes in the middle. The thicker the dish, the longer it will take to bake. Also, the thinner the potatoes are sliced the quicker it will go. It is usually best to use a larger baking dish (wider and/or longer). I have had this dish take 1.5 hours to bake.

Goes great with any meat dish.

[chef chicklet]

YUM! I too love anchovies, and with potatoes yet and onion YIKES!
This sounds so deliciously good, comfort food moved to greatness!

What potato? Baby, Red, fingerlings, russets?

[WildSwede]

Sorry! Russets are what I use and yellow onions. It is sinfully delicious. I make it the more-fat way (both whipping cream and half & half) my mom saves some calories by doing only half & half!

[chef chicklet]

Just make it like what you say, cream in proportion to the filling?
Do you sautee the onions first? Gawd this sound hugely like the kinda comfort food I can really get into.

[WildSwede]

I don't sautee the onions, but it would probably be really good. For the cream, I just add it until I think it is enough - keep in mind that it will bubble and may overflow, but my rule of thumb is add until you can barely see it but when you press on the potatoes with your finger (before you bake it) the cream comes around it - but it is not swimming in it. Does that make sense? It is a recipe that no one really has a recipe for, you just make it.

[chef chicklet]

Sure I think I can do that, I don't need an exact recipe, and this looks so darn good that I'm trying to figure out when to fit in with Thanksgiving and all. Probably going for it next week.
It is rich, but I know everyone here will just gobble it up. Everyone love anchovies and everyone loves potatoes, cream and onion. Perfect. and thanks again!

[WildSwede]

You are welcome! Also, don't forget to use the juice from the anchovies as well. Since everyone loves anchovies, you can just lay them out in the layers (I usually do only two layers of anchovies - and they are not shoulder to shoulder - they are sprinkled here and there). Let me know what people think!

[geminigirl]

sounds really good, and sounds like how a friend told me to make her mac and cheese - pour in the milk untill you just see it coming up the sides - like when you pour mlk into your cereal....have you ever used fat free 1/2+1/2?

[Harters]

In the UK, this usually gets translated (probably wrongly) as "Janssen's Temptation" and is an absolute winner.

However, puttanesca sauce would be my default recipe for cooking anchovies. I presume we're talking the anchovies that come tinned in oil - and not the fresh.salted ones that you get at the deli (I don;t like the taste of the latter but I would only put them as, say, part of a tapas.

[angelo04]

Here's a good link.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/416120

[JungMann]

If you do a search of the board, you should be able to come up with many suggestions among which:
1. Caesar salad dressing
2. Sauteed with garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and bitter greens
3. Bagna cauda
4. Lemon-caper sauce for meatballs (Königsberger Klopse)
5. Sauteed with olive oil, garlic, pepper, chili, arugula, parmesan, red wine and spaghetti
6. Puttanesca
Just know that when you are cooking with them, you want it to disintegrate or turn into a paste so as to season your entire dish evenly. You are not looking to have whole strips of anchovy lying across a plate of pasta.

[Gio]

"You are not looking to have whole strips of anchovy lying across a plate of pasta."

Although, you will see whole strips of anchovies topping a pizza..

[JungMann]

Well that's just plain delicious. Don't know how I would react to a strips of anchovy atop pasta...unless it was a cheesy lasagna. I may experiment this weekend!

[Gio]

Let us know how that tastes. I *love* anchovies! Use them, minced, in stuffing for peppers, mushrooms, calzones, and all of the other dishes you mentioned.

[hannaone]

"Just know that when you are cooking with them, you want it to disintegrate or turn into a paste so as to season your entire dish evenly."
unless you are cooking Asian (Korean) style. Then you want the whole anchovy in all it's glory sitting atop (or hiding within:-)) whatever dish you are preparing.
Most Asian dishes though call for fresh or dried anchovies, not canned or jarred.